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Sunday, May 1, 2016

Rock Machine Boss Jean-François Émard busted again - Update

There was a massive police presence for a brief court appearance May 2 by Jean-François Émard. There were six uniformed officers inside the courtroom — some in regular blue uniforms, some in the green, military-style uniform of OPP tactical officers.

There were more officers just outside the courtroom, checking the identification of anyone going in, writing down their names and birthdates, and going over everyone with a metal detector.

Other officers were outside behind the courthouse an hour or more before the prisoners’ van arrived. That’s where the sniffer dog went to work. When a prisoner arrived at the back door, a second police vehicle swung in close behind the first one and blocked the exit. Émard will remain in custody, and will appear again before a judge on Thursday — this time by a video link from prison.

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Rock Machine motorcycle gang boss Jean-François Émard is one of two men facing weapons charges. Émard, 39, faces charges of possession of loaded prohibited or restricted handgun; carrying a concealed weapon; obstruction of a peace officer; failure to comply with a probation order; and knowledge of unauthorized possession of a firearm.

In 2014 Émard confirmed that the Rock Machine, a gang that had disappeared in 2000, was back in Quebec. Émard said he was the vice-president of the gang’s worldwide membership. The gang’s name evokes memories of a violent conflict the gang was involved in against the Hells Angels from 1994 that resulted in the deaths of more than 160 people. In September of 2014, Émard told La Presse the resurrected version of the Rock Machine was not an enemy of the Hells Angels.

In October 2014, Émard was charged with possession with intent to traffic in methamphetamines and possession of a weapon.